Killeen sits next door to one of the largest military installations in the country, so it’s no surprise a lot of our students here already know their way around a firearm. Whether you’re active duty, a veteran, or simply a Killeen resident who wants the added protections an LTC provides, East Texas Security Training Academy (ETXSTA) built its online License to Carry course so you can finish the classroom portion on your own time and knock out the range requirement locally.
Do You Qualify for a Texas LTC?
Before you enroll, it helps to confirm you meet the state’s requirements. Texas law says an applicant must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have no felony conviction
- Have no Class A or Class B misdemeanor conviction in the last five years
- Not be subject to a protective or restraining order
- Have no criminal charges pending against them
- Not be a chemically dependent person
- Be qualified under state and federal law to purchase and possess a handgun
- Be of sound mind
- Not be finally determined delinquent on child support
If that describes you, you’re ready for the two-part training ETXSTA provides: a self-paced online classroom course, followed by a hands-on shooting proficiency test.
Part One: The Online Classroom
Log in whenever it’s convenient — between shifts, after the kids are asleep, on a lunch break — and move through the material at your own speed. The curriculum covers:
- Texas firearm laws and regulations
- Use-of-force and self-defense law
- Safe handgun handling and storage
- Non-violent dispute resolution
- How to properly interact with law enforcement while carrying
As soon as you finish, you can instantly download your LTC-104 Certificate of Training — the official Texas DPS document proving you completed the classroom requirement.
Part Two: Prove Your Aim
Once the classroom work is done, you’ll head to the range with a certified instructor in Killeen or a nearby location to shoot the state’s course of fire:
- 3 yards – 20 rounds
- 7 yards – 20 rounds
- 15 yards – 10 rounds
That’s 50 rounds total, and you’ll need to hit at least 70% of the target to pass. Don’t stress if it doesn’t click the first time — Texas gives applicants up to three attempts to pass both the written and range exams within a 12-month window, so there’s room to try again. One note on timing: your certificates of training and proficiency are only valid for two years, and they need to still be valid when you actually submit your LTC application to DPS.
Given Killeen’s Military Community — Who Can Skip the Range Test?
Because so many Killeen residents serve or have served, this exemption matters here more than most places: active-duty military members and veterans who can show a qualifying range score or proof of firearms familiarization training from within the past ten years only need to complete the online classroom course — no range day required. The same exemption applies to state correctional officers and county jailers who completed firearms training as part of their job.
Constitutional Carry Doesn’t Make the LTC Pointless
Texas allows permitless carry, but plenty of Killeen residents still choose to get licensed, and for good reason:
- Reciprocity – Your Texas LTC is honored in 37 other states, which matters if you’re traveling for a deployment send-off, a PCS move, or just a road trip.
- Legal protections – Licensed carriers get certain legal advantages that unlicensed carriers don’t.
- Broader access – An LTC lets you carry in some places permitless carry simply doesn’t cover.
- Faster purchases – Buying from a licensed dealer? Your LTC lets you skip the NICS background check.
ETXSTA has spent years building a course that Killeen-area residents actually finish — clear instruction, an easy-to-use platform, and instructors who know the local range logistics inside and out.